Step-ladder.



M. DAVIES.

STEP LADDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 13. 1915.

Patentd June 20, 1916.

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Patented J une 20, 1916. v

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MORGAN DAVIES, OF DENVERQCOIJORADO.

STEP LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent'edJune 20, 1916.

Application filed January 13, 1915. Serial No. 2,016.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORGAN DAVIES, a 'citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Step-Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to step ladders, and particularly to that class of step ladders which have prop legs pivoted to the ladder beneath the top step or shelf thereof.

The primary object of the invention is to provide step supporting and attaching members which obviate the necessity of vertically slotting the side rails of the ladder when attachingvthe steps thereto. I I

A further object of the invention lsto provide a step supporting. means engageable with the steps and side rails of the ladder which equally distributes thestrain of a persons weight upon the ladder upon opposite sides of the side rails.

A further object of the invention is to provide step supporting means which not only attach the steps of the ladder firmly to the side rails thereof, but are also engage'able with said steps in such a manner as to prevent lateral movement of the step should the same become loosened from the side rail.

The invention consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and struction therein shown, as changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired. In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side eleva-' tion of a ladder constructed in accordance with the invention with parts broken away.

through one of the steps of the ladder, showing the step supporting and attaching members in elevation. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a step and a portion of aside railishowmg the step supporting members connected thereto. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is-a verticalsection on the line 77 of Fig. 4. Fig.8 is a' rear elevation of a portion of a step and side rail showing the step supporting means connected thereto. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the lower step'supporting member. Fig. 10 1s a perspective view of the upper step supporting member. Fig. 11, is a perspective view of the side rail clamping member.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference. The letter A designates a step ladder having pivoted prop legs B, step supporting and attaching members C and bracing membersD for the prop legs B. Connected to the underside of the'st'eps E oftheladder at oppositeends thereof are L-shaped supporting members 1. These members have a downturned tongue 2 provided with an opening 3, said tongue being adapted to en gage the inner faces of the side'rail's 4: of

with the tops of the steps E at oppositeends thereof. The members 7 are also provided with upturned tongues 8 engageable with the inner faces of the side rails 4: adjacent the front sides thereof, said tongues 8 being provided with openings!) for the reception of bolts 10to secure the member 7 to the-side rails of the ladder. Passing through the opening. 3 in the tongue of the members 1 are boltsll which serve to secure said memb'ers to the side rails of the ladder, while bolts 12 secure themembers to the steps.

To prevent lateral movement of the step should the supporting members 1 and 7 become loosened on the side rails, the stepsE are provided with slits 13, while the U- shaped members 7 are formed with a pair of flanges 14 and 14 having openings15 therein, the flanges 14 of the members 7 being adapted to pass through the slits13, and the flange 14 of the members 7 being engageable with the back portion of the step E. For the purpose of connecting the flanges, a bolt 16 is passed through the openings 15 and secured by a nut 17.

Cooperating with the step supporting members 1 and 7 is a side rail clamping member 18 having an upturned tongue 19 and a downturned tongue 20 provided with openings 21, said tongues and member 18 being disposed upon the outer faces of the side rails 4-, while the openings 21 aline with the openings 3 and 9 in the members 1 and 7 for the reception of the bolts 10 and11. The member 18 is further provided with a pair of arms 22 and 22 for engagement with cut-away portions 23 formed in the side rails 4, the arms 22 being covered by facing strips 25 secured to the side rails 4E upon the front faces thereof. The arms 22 are provided with downturned tongues 26 having openings 27 therein adapted to aline with on said step. Formed on the members 31' are pins 32 for engagement with openings 33 in the prop legs of the ladder when the members 31 are raised to a vertical position and the prop legsof the ladder swung to an open positlon.

When it-is desired to assemble theladder, the members 1, 7 and 18 are secured to the side rails thereof, and the, steps placed between the members 1 and 7 in the cutaway portions 28 of the member 18. The bolts 12 are then passed through the openings 6, the step and the openings 5 in the member 1. It will be noted that by alining the tongues 2 and 8 upon the step supporting members with the tongues 20 and 19 of'the member 18, a metal bearing plate is formed for the head of the bolt and the nut upon said bolt. Furthermore, through the above arrangement of the parts described strain upon the ladder imposed by the weight of a person thereon is equally disposed betweenv the step and the side rails. It will also be seen that the slits in the tongues 8 and 2 of the members 1 and 7 allow a portion of these tongues to be turned out for locking the nuts upon the bolts 10 and 11.

To prevent any horizontal movement of the steps E the flange 14 of the member 7 is passed through the opening 13 in the step and the flange 14 engaged with the back of the step and the bolt 16 passed through the openings 15 in said flanges. It will be noted that the flange 14; has a slit therein,

so that a portion of said flange may be turned outwardly to prevent the nut on the bolt 16 from rotating. The bolt 16 passing through the openings 15, which are off center in the flanges 14 and 1%, serves to lock the nuts on the bolts 12 when securing the members 1 and 7 to the steps. By disposing the arms 22 of the member 18 within the cut-away portions of the side rails of the ladder and alining the tongues 26 of the. members 22 with the flanges 14: and 1 1* of the member 7 and passing the bolt 16 through the openings 27 of the tongues 26 any adjustment of the nut 17 will tend to draw the arms 22 beneath the steps E, and should the members 7 and 1 in any way become'insecure in their relation with the side rails, it would be impossible for the step to be broken from the ladder, while the facing strip 25 will prevent the disengagement of the member 18 from said rails. Furthermore, by adjusting the nut 17, the cut-away portions 28 in the arms 22 will serve as an additional support for the steps E.

WVhen it is desired to use the members 31 to assist a person when ascending or de scending the ladder the members 31 are raised to a vertical position,and the prop legs B of the ladder swung in a rearward direction, thereby engaging the pins 32 upon thermembers 31 within the openings 33 of said legs. Through the above mentioned means the members 31 are secured in a vertical position and the prop legs B of the ladder prevented fro-m lateral movement. When it is desired to fold the members 31, the legs B are moved a sufficient distance to withdraw the pins 32 from the openings 33 in said legs, whereupon the members 31 may again lie in their normal or folded position.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have provided a step ladder which is simple of construction, cheap of manufacture and highly elflcient in use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a step ladder, a step, a side rail recessed upon opposite sides, a member secured to the outer face of said side rail and provided with arms disposedin said recesses and extending beyond the same, said extend. ing portions being recessed to underlie one end of the step, attaching plates secured to the step and side rail, arms on one of said plates contacting with the projecting portions on said member, and means for retaining said projecting portions and arms in. contacting relation.

2. In a step ladder, a step having a slit and extending below the same, an arm on the other end of said member contacting the attaching member, and a bolt passing with the rear edge of the step and extendthrough said arms beneath said step. 10 ing below the same in alinement With the In testimony whereof I affix my signature first mentioned arm, a member secured to in presence of two Witnesses.

the outer face of said side rail, and pro- MORGAN DAVIES. vided With arms disposed in said recesses, Witnesses:

said arm being recessed to underlie one end EDWARD WHITLEY,

of the step and contact With the arms on A. J. BOCI-IMER.

Uopie: of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner at ratelts, Washington, D. G." 

